You risk job loss if water supply remains herculean task, Governor Abiodun threatens General Manager

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Wednesday gave a marching order to the General Manager of the State Water Corporation, Engr  Oluseye Maku, and his team, to be up and doing or face dire consequences.

Penpushing reports that, Abiodun   expressed anger at the state of public water supply by the corporation and gave the warning at the two-day Treasury Board meeting on 2021 Budget held at the Obas Complex, Oke Mosan,  Abeokuta.

The Governor’s warning came when Maku appeared at the Board to defend the Corporation’s Budget proposals for 2021, advising the leadership of the water corporation to ensure the immediately supply of pipe borne water to all the nook and cranny of the state.

 Penpushing further reports that, the visibly angry Governor had interjected the corporation boss who requested for additional four weeks to put measures in place for a good pipeline construction, saying he hoped that Maku would be the person to execute the water project and not someone else.

The Governor also engaged the water corporation boss on the ways and manners of raising internal revenue without unnecessarily placing the burden on consumers, and indication that failure to beet up may cost him his job.

 Penpushing also reports that, Special Adviser on Water, Engr Kunle Otun, in his contributions informed the Governor that many damaged pipes arose as a result of the rehabilitation of roads embarked upon by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, adding that these construction works had adverse effects on water supply.

The General Manager, Ogun State Water Corporation had said the Corporation was working towards rehabilitating various water schemes and also constructing 20 water hubs to serve the people.

 Penpushing  reports that, the Governor thereafter  instructed the Commissioner for Finance, Dapo Okubadejo, who doubles as the Chairman of the State Tenders Board, to always ensure that all connecting infrastructures are included in any contract that links two or more agencies.

“You are the chairman of Tenders Board, from now, you must ensure that any contract to be awarded must include the repairs of damaged infrastructure. All associated matters must be looked into and be included in any contract henceforth”, he said.

“No road contract must be awarded without consideration for public infrastructure like water pipes, electric wire and poles. Make sure every infrastructure along the right of way is factored into the contract and must be restored back to its former State or even better than how it was.

The Governor who described water as a basic necessity of life, decried the damage done to water supply in the State as a result of dislocation of water pipes during the expansion of roads in the state capital and other parts of the state, noting that, ” there should have been a provision in the contract for the restoration of the pipes by the contractor”.

“Commissioner for Finance, you are the Chairman of the State Tenders Board, I want to publicly admonish you that never again must a road contract be awarded without due consideration to any other infrastructure that the construction will affect. Those questions must be asked, which other infrastructure, be it electrical poles, power lines, water infrastructure – all that must be captured in the scope of that contract”

“You cannot on one hand be awarding contracts to improve on road infrastructure, whilst you are now damaging water infrastructure. I mean, what are the gains there? Is it more important for us to travel than to have water?” Abiodun asked rhetorically.

The Governor berated the Corporation for non-performance, pointing out that  it was a critical sector whose services were very important to the well-being of the people, urging the management to brace up for the task of ensuring that the people have access to portable water supply.

 Penpushing  further reports that, Abiodun on housing,  reiterated his administration commitment to building 2,500 housing units in the first two years of his administration and implementing the 10, 000 Federal government Housing Scheme, said that the sector was important for economic sustainability as it generate employment and provide accommodation for the people.

The Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Akande Omoniyi, said the Ministry was currently constructing 150 housing units at Kobape, Prince Court phase 11, while 100 housing units are being constructed at Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode, assuring that the houses under these schemes, the commissioner said would be ready in 2021

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